Property Management Blog

For myself, as well as millions of people around the world, the last 5 days have been spent up late watching the live coverage of our country competing in the XXXI Olympiad. Thus far it has been a rather exciting Olympic games for all involved and so Riner Rentals presents it's Top 5 Moments of the Rio 2016 Olympics up to this point:

1.Aly Raisman and the US Women's Gymnastics Team
These women are unreal. They have been killing it and have been so calm and collected for young women ranging from age 16 to 22 years of age. Last night they won back to back gold in the team competition (they are the first team to ever win back to back gold for their country) by more than 8 points over the next closest competitor, the largest margin in history!! I believe a large part of this is due to Aly Raisman's leadership. She has been a rock, consistent in her routines and always encouraging to her younger teammates. She is the first to meet them when they come off the floor, the first to give credit to her fellow teammates and competitors and she's got a good sense of humor too. Overall this team has represented the US in historic and mind blowing ways and it has been incredibly entertaining to watch.

2. Kerri Walsh-Jennings and April Ross of US Women's Beach Volleyball
This team has incredible talent but several factors leading into the games made people wonder if they could carry on Kerri Walsh-Jennings unstoppable Olympic record. Walsh-Jennings has had some serious shoulder problems since the last Olympic games, have surgery 5 times due to dislocations, the most recent surgery in the last year. You can see which shoulder is affected because she still wears the kinetic tape to lend support to the joint. Another large factor, maybe even larger than injury, is a new partner. Misty May-Treanor, Walsh-Jennings long time partner and best friend, has competed together through the last three Olympic games, having lost no sets throughout their Olympic career and taking home three consecutive gold medals. If you thought April Ross has some big shoes to fill then you would be right...and she has done beautifully. Thus far Walsh-Jennings and Ross have been so in sync. They have kept the Walsh-Jennings record of no sets lost in Olympic play alive up to this point and have their last match of preliminary play tonight.

3.Michael Phelps...the most decorated Olympian of all time
Michael Phelps...the most decorated Olympian of all time. He won his 20th and 21st Olympic gold medal last night in the 200m Butterfly and the Men's 4x 200m Freestyle relay, respectively. I mean need I say more? That is a record that could potentially never be broken. And to have a swimmer from the United States hold that record is pretty cool and definitely inspires perseverance in me and I'm sure others. Michael Phelps is showing people that the word impossible is becoming obsolete with each passing day.

4. Katie Ledecky of the US Women's Swimming Team
Another swimmer makes the list as Katie Ledecky crushes her own world record by almost 2 seconds in the 400m Freestyle. To give you some perspective she beat the silver medalist by 5 seconds. In a sport where they use electronic touch pads to record times because the differences are often a few tenths of a second or less, this kind of a blow out is exhilarating to say the least. It will be exciting to continue to watch Ledecky in Rio but hopefully for many years and Olympics to come.

5. The International Competition
Honestly one of the best parts about the Olympics is just seeing how crazy athletic the whole world is! I mean we have some freakishly athletic people in this world and there is just something so raw and exciting about watching people compete at such extreme levels. I get a rush from just sitting on my couch and taking it in. It only happens every four years on a rotating (rotating every two between Winter and Summer Games). But the bottom line is you just don't see anything like the Olympics in this world anymore. It is the cleanest form of entertainment that we still possess and it's pure joy to watch it unfold with all the surprises and celebrations of watching people's dreams come true in all these different parts of the world!

So that's it for the Riner Rentals Olympics update! Even now as I write this my NBC Sports App notified me of an "Upset Alert" for the gold medal favorite in the Men's gymnastics all around competition. What better note to end! Happy watching everyone!

What a long time it's been since we communicated with you all! We are glad to be back.

For those of you who don't know us: Welcome to Riner Rentals! We are a local property management company that offers rentals for all your Harrisonburg, Rockingham County and surrounding area needs. Whatever your needs are, we most likely have housing that fits what you're looking for. House in Broadway with space for the whole family? Check. One bedroom or two bedroom apartment in Bridgewater, Harrisonburg, Timberville or Broadway? Check. Student housing for one student looking for some quiet or for 8 best friends looking to live in a house downtown? We've got it, and more! This website will be a great source for searching the options we currently have available and for keeping an eye on any new rentals we have come available.

For those of you who do know us: Lets get reacquainted! Lots of changes have happened since we last saw one another...

Here's a brief overview of what's been going on:

1. New Staff Members! Over the last six months we have added a staggering 5 new staff members to our office! Wow. So if you have called our office and felt like you have spoken to a lot of people you have never spoken to before then you're not calling the wrong place, you're just experiencing this incredible growth. We have added two property managers (we also had a long time property manager with the company move to another state), one front desk administrative person, one maintenance staff member (the first one ever!) and one part time staff member who processes applications! As a result of these additions we have been working out some kinks and getting everyone on the same page (no small task for an office of 11!). That being said we appreciate your cooperation, patience and feedback in this time of growth and transition!

2. Social Media...We have started to dig into and develop our social media outlets for Riner Rentals! It's time to dust off these outlets we have neglected for too long. Check us out on Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter and (of course) this blog! Our hope is to update you not only with relevant rental information (such as property availability, virtual tours, useful tips and information, etc) but also with information about what's going on around Harrisonburg! We will post pictures, videos, musings, event updates, entertainment and more so you can be the most up to date person at work about what's going on in our city. Also, this gives you all an opportunity to interact with us! Please post any questions you may have and comment with anything specific you all want to see (e.g. good places to eat around Harrisonburg, tips to maximizing your security deposit, fun local things to do year round that cost little or no money, etc.). So please, utilize these avenues for getting to know Riner Rentals and Harrisonburg even better!

Keep on the lookout for more posts on here and on our social media accounts! Happy Monday!

For the first time this year, the temperature has reached 80 degrees! That means summertime and moving season are just around the corner. As future tenants begin their housing search, it’s important to make sure your property stands above the rest! Here are 5 tips to make sure it does...

1. Paint the front door. The front door grabs a lot of attention and a fresh coat of paint can go along way.

2. Plant flowers. A common problem is dead spots, especially under large trees. Instead of struggling with grass, plant flowers that thrive in the shade.

3. Add some new mulch. Not only does mulch retain moisture and fight back weeds, it also makes your flower beds look amazing!

4. New Hardware. Replace any door knobs and light fixtures that are beginning to look run down. It’s a small item that can make a big difference when tenants are viewing your property for the first time.

5. Replace that old mailbox. This is another small fix that can make a good first impression.

WESTPORT VILLAGE! These 4 bedroom, 3 bathroom apartments are all on two levels with a spiral staircase and two living rooms and include your water in the rent of $400/person/month. Fully furnished including full sized beds and recently replaced leather living room furniture, all appliances (including dishwasher), central Heat/AC, washer/dryer, all steps from the JMU campus! Just behind Devon Lane. Walk to grocery stores, restaurants, Strite's Doughnuts, and more! Live close to the action but without the hassle of a large complex. Make Westport Village your next "home away from home" in Harrisonburg!

The Kitchen includes the following amenities...

Dishwasher

Disposal

Microwave

Pantry

Refrigerator

Stove

Lazy Susan

Oven

Eat in kitchen

Other amenities include...

Air Conditioning

Cable Ready

Furnishings

Internet

Ready Heat

Washer/Dryer

Ceiling Fan

Interested? Fill out a free application today and someone from our office will be in touch to schedule a viewing with a property manager.

Until Next Time,

The Riner Rentals Staff

“For ALL your housing needs in the Harrisonburg and Rockingham County, VA!”

At Riner Rentals, our goal is to protect your investment! Rental units see normal wear and tear, just like any house, but what about damage that goes beyond “normal wear and tear”? That’s where inspections come in. We typically conduct four inspections throughout a standard one year term.

Our first inspection is known as a “move-in inspection report”, where the condition of your property is detailed on a move-in inspection form. The tenant carefully documents the condition of your rental property upon their arrival.

During a typical twelve month term, we perform two visual walkthroughs. These are conducted to ensure that the tenant(s) are complying with their lease. During these visits we are also changing furnace filters and check smoke detectors. We can conduct other inspections when we determine one is warranted.

Our last inspection is known as the “move-out inspection”. This is completed when the tenant(s) move out of your property. The move-out inspection is done to ensure that the residents returned the home back to the condition (excluding normal wear and tear) that they leased it in. Pictures or video will be taken if necessary. If there are any damages found, beyond normal wear, we will have the damage repaired and deduct the expenses from the tenant’s security deposit. Once all the repairs have been made, we will refund any remaining deposit in accordance with VRLTA and other Virginia law.

What about the tenant?

To protect the privacy of our tenants, Riner Rentals has a 24 hour notice policy. If we plan on conducting an inspection, or if we need to show the rental unit to prospective tenants, we let the current tenant(s) know by at least the day before.

Any questions about our inspection policy? Feel free to leave a comment below or contact us!

Until Next Time,

The Riner Rentals Staff

“For ALL your housing needs in the Harrisonburg and Rockingham County, VA!”

There are many benefits in choosing Riner Rentals to manage your property. One of them is our ability to advertise. In order to find the right tenant for your property we cast a wide net, relying on multiple sources to advertise your property. One of our goals is to have your property rented in the shortest time possible!

Most of our advertising is completely FREE! The Riner Rentals website is our biggest asset and over the past few months we have taken strides to strengthen its effectiveness. The website is attractive, easy to use, and it is integrated with other third party sites! That means that each of our property listings is automatically listed on Zillow, Trulia and HotPads. As prospective tenants inquire about your property, we respond with a personalized email or phone call!

To engage our audience we utilize a variety of social media platforms. We currently have accounts with Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and LinkedIn. While some of these pages are relatively new, we are working towards increasing our presence on each of them. This blog is our latest addition! Providing relative, useful information keeps our audience engaged and drives traffic towards our website. This boosts our SEO which results in more people viewing your property!

We make every effort to rent any property that we take management of in the shortest period of time possible. This is unique to every property. Certain times of year, styles of rentals, or specific locations may have a direct bearing on the demand to lease your property. We are happy to discuss all of these factors with you before listing with our company, and promise to give you straight answers, even when it may not be what an owner wants to hear. We want to be straightforward and honest with you as a homeowner so that you can have realistic expectations of the rental process.

At Riner Rentals, we treat your investment property as if it were our own. We strive to provide you with the caliber of residents that you want in your rental home. Our application and screening process work towards accomplishing that goal. Having good tenants results in timely rent payments, longer rental periods, and less wear and tear on your property.

Application and Screening Process

Our screening process is multi-faceted and detailed. We start by conducting a credit report on each of our adult applicants, a complete verification of their rental history from past landlords, a verification of their employment, an eviction search and we check their personal references. This process also includes an up to date background check which is generally connected directly to the court records. We do not use a database, as they may be months, even years, old. Taking the time to perform these verifications and checks is what helps us find good tenants. Finding a tenant is easy, finding a quality tenant requires effort and sometimes, multiple applications. We are dedicated to finding the right tenant for each property we manage.

Our application process is also FREE! Many property management companies charge prospective tenants a fee to apply. At Riner Rentals, we feel that offering a free application process gives us broader pool of applicants. Each prospective tenant must be approved before they are shown a property.

A Note on “Bad” Tenants

"Bad" tenants will typically target owner-managed rentals because they can't pass the application process with property managers. They know that when a property is for rent by owner, the rent is likely to be less and there will be less scrutiny of their financial situation. Because bad tenants can't be evicted without notice and an eviction can take months and cost you money, we will verify references and do whatever possible to avoid potential bad tenants and associated eviction problems. No option is bulletproof, but we strive to make any and all decisions well-informed decisions.

Please contact us with any question or check out our website for more information!

Until next time,

-The Riner Rentals Staff

“For ALL your housing needs in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County, VA!”

Deciding when, or if, to hire a property management company can be a difficult task. It is important to understand how a company like Riner Rentals can benefit you. At Riner Rentals, we offer a full range of property management services tailored to you as an investor, homeowner, or landlord.

Finding the Right Tenants

The implications of having bad tenants can be frustrating and costly. Our application and screening process work towards finding the right tenants for your rental property. This results in timely rent payments, longer rental periods, and less wear and tear on your property.

Variety of Services

Finding the right tenants is only the beginning. As property managers, we take care of:

advertising and showing your property

collecting rent

responding to complaints

maintenance requests

legal matters

AND SO MUCH MORE!

Our office is open Monday-Friday from 8am-5pm, Saturdays from 9am-1pm, and Sundays by appointment. For maintenance requests and emergencies, we offer 24/7 support from a qualified on-call property manager. Our goal is to be totally accessible at any time should the need arise for our owners, tenants, and neighbors in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County.

No Hassle Management

Managing your own property can be stressful, but we think that giving over those responsibilities to Riner Rentals will help you discover greater piece of mind knowing your investment is being taken care of by professionals. We aim to treat every property we manage as if it were our own! Owner involvement varies, and we are willing to discuss options that may be more suitable for you. Feel free to contact us at anytime with questions.

For more information, you can also check out our website here. We encourage you to click around and learn more about our company, staff, as well at the Harrisonburg and Rockingham County area. There are so many reasons to call our area home!

Until Next Time,

The Riner Rentals Staff

“For ALL your housing needs in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County, VA!”

As we begin a new year, one major question posed by property owners has dominated recent headlines in Harrisonburg:

Why have so many new student housing complexes been built within the last 10 years and how has it affected the overall rental market?

The question is a very valid one, but one that has a variety of factors affecting a clear answer. I will try to outline these and then discuss where property owners find themselves in the current market.

1. JMU has Grown... But Not As Fast as Many Projected: The growth of James Madison University cannot be understated; but the speed of it's growth has been. 10 years ago, in the fall of 2003, JMU's enrollment topped out at 15,769. Projections had the university approaching 20,000+ students sooner rather than later. Reaching the 20,000 student mark, however, took longer than expected, with the fall class of 2013 finally breaking that magic number. (Click here to look at full projections.)

2. Local Developers Had to Move Quickly Due to New Zoning: Many local landowners who planned to develop rental properties in the area were forced to do so to avoid a zoning crunch by the City of Harrisonburg. Because a new zoning classification was introduced, owners had a limited time to develop rental properties to ensure that they remained under existing zoning and to avoid more stringent policies under the zoning classification. This forced many people to begin construction faster than they would have preferred.

3. JMU Called . . . And the Developers Came: The numbers being projected in the mid-2000s were certainly enticing to developers. They descended on Harrisonburg in droves to build new complexes such as Campus View, City Exchange, Copper Beech, Charleston Townes, 865 East, North 38, and most recently, Rockingham County's first student housing complex Aspen Heights. Existing Properties already included Foxhills, Pheasant Run, Ashby Crossing (which was recently sold out of foreclosure and has been renamed University Fields), South View, Stone Gate, SunChase, Hunters Ridge Townhouses and Condos (the townhouses have since been renamed Camden Townes), The Mill, The Commons, Deer Run, and other smaller locations.

4. Small Owners Got Pinched: To keep up with the influx of new properties and enticing move-in deals, local owners dropped prices, began leasing to non-student residents in traditionally student populated areas, and took what they could get. Some went into foreclosure, or sold their properties for much less than market value.

How did this affect the rental market?

1. The student rental market was (and IS) currently flooded.

2. Rental rates are hard to pin down. New properties charge high rates, old properties are charging reduced rates, and some properties have been able to maintain rental rates. It's like hitting a moving target in some instances, based on the location and type of property.

3. Residential tenants have jumped on previous student rentals as the prices have dropped. This includes tenants with housing vouchers, large families, and/or a limited budget who can now rent more for their money with low occupancy in traditionally student complexes.

4. The residential market has also been affected, both in the proximity change in relation to new student complexes, and increased competition from traditional student properties who are now marketing to residential tenants.

It is certainly a complex situation, and there are many different aspects and viewpoints that make it a difficult one. If you are a property owner with questions about the market, feel free to call or email Riner Rentals anytime, and I will be happy to speak with you about the market, your rental property, or our management services (if desired).

It is winter, so that means electric bills are on the rise. We have already experienced one polar vortex this winter, and with more cold weather on the way we thought it would be a good idea to share some cost saving advice.

1. Keep your thermostat at a constant temperature.

Lowering and raising your thermostat can actually waste energy. Keeping your house at one consistent temperature is more cost efficient. Try setting it at 68 degrees.

2. Purchase a humidifier.

Adding moisture to the air can make your house feel warmer than it actually is, allowing you to keep the thermostat one or two degrees cooler. There are also health benefits associated with the use of humidifiers.

3. Wear extra layers.

Simple, but it can help. By keeping yourself warm you will be less tempted to raise the thermostat.

4. Open your blinds.

When the sun is out, allow as much sunlight into your home as possible. Any amount of warmth can help.

5. Replace your air filter.

A clogged air filter can add strain on your heating system causing it to work harder than it needs to.